Reclosable packages are very common, especially in the food industry. Such packages are typically made to be reclosable via the use of a reclosable feature such as a resealable adhesive seal or a reclosable zipper. Such zippers can be opened and closed either by pressure or by the use of an auxiliary slider mechanism.
Reclosable packages are a great convenience to the consumer especially for products such as luncheon meats and cheeses where, typically, only a portion of the product is used at any given time. A problem with these reclosable packages, however, is that the reclosable features do not provide a leak proof barrier. Thus, the contents of the package can leak out of the package and the external atmosphere can leak into the package, promoting food spoilage. Another problem with reclosable packages is that such packages can be easily tampered with prior to purchase by the consumer.
A need therefore exists for packages having a leak and tamper proof seal in addition to having a reclosable feature. It would be especially advantageous to place such a leak and tamper proof seal below the reclosable feature (closer to the food product) such that the tamper proof seal would not in any way interfere with the operation of the reclosable feature.